#UX Bristol – Meeting Users where they are.

It’s not every day that “Joe Public” wonders into a design studio and experiences User Research being perpetrated upon them. Understanding the experience of being a participant in User Research will make it feel less alien for them and yield more authentic outcomes from them.

Let’s deal with the elephant in the room….its all about the money.

That said……

48% of participants won’t take part in research over Skype.

41% wouldn’t be prepared to accommodate research in their home.

Focus groups are considered to be competitive, shouty and restrictive.

The more research you take part in the more comfortable you become

44% of participants have been referred by a friend.

Logistics can prevent participants engaging – costs of parking etc.

Some people have physical or mental health issues which prevent them engaging with the Research.

People work 9-5 UR done during that time wont catch them

20% of participants have more to add to the interview after taking part. There was no opportunity to reflect.

It is worthwhile taking some time to take an holistic view of your Users. If you want the Users to meet your needs, you need to meet theirs. That will minimise their anxiety, which will enable you to get the best insight from your research.

Is advertising for participants effective?

How does it compare to direct sales recruitment?

The truth is, people reflect back at you the effort you put in. If you are only prepared to send an email or print some fliers, how can you expect the User to go out of their way and overcome some significant issues

How much more willing would someone be to engage in research if they have met the researcher before? At least then they are not inviting a stranger into their home.

In essence, this boils down to meeting people where they are. If you want to find real people and achieve authentic insight from them, then you need to turn off your devices and get out of the sanitised Lab and go and find them, talk to them and make them feel that you are interested in them. Then think through the ‘barriers to entry’ for the participant so that you remove all the pain points from their engagement with the research.

Set up your research so that you engage partners in your research, rather than selecting targets to perpetrate your research upon.